The plane was a World Airways 727-100 sent to Da Nang to help evacuate refugee women and children. Aboard was World Airways president Edward J. Daley, two reporters and cameraman. As the plane was loading, word wpread that enemy troops were approaching the field. Men of the crack South Vietnamese 1st Division, the Hac Bao (Black Panthers) made a dash for the airliner, shoving women and children aside in their panic. It was immediately apparent that the crowd was out of control so Daly told Capt. Kenneth Healy to take off. As engines were started, soldiers opened fire on the plane; a hand grenade was tossed under the wings in efforts to delay the departure, causing extensive damage to landing gear and flaps. As the plane gathered speed, frantic refugees and soldiers fought each other to get up the stairway with Daly pulling as many possible aboard.

Healy figures his ship was overloaded by 20,000 pounds. "We estimated there must hav been 360 people aboard a ship designed to carry 105. In the cabin there were 268 - this number we know for usre. The baggage compartments were loaded with people and there attempts to make the flight in the wheel wells and seven did get through that way to Saigon. Witness said bodies fell out but I can't say how many. I believe there were 80 to 90 in the lower compartments but an accurate count was not obtained as they unloaded before anyone thought to make a count."

"Some of the problems encountered were an aft stairway that remained partially extended for the entire flight and main wheels which would not retract. Pressurization was impossible so the flight was made at 10,000 feet. Fuel consumption was three times greater than normal and we landed at Saigon with little in the tanks. A grenade explosion removed two-thirds of the left inboard flap. I wholeheartedly praise the abilities of the 727 aircraft. It is a solid, dependable and completely honest aircraft".

Read more: B727-100c World Airways | HJG Message Boards

And a pic from the aircraft on the flight...


Said jet in 2006